Going My Way/Holiday Inn

Rating:
Summary: A "Twofer" To Go For
Review: On the face of it, HOLIDAY INN and GOING MY WAY, despite both being Bing Crosby films from the early 40s, were not exacltly an obvious pairing for a DVD "twofer" package. You might think it more likely to pair the former with WHITE CHRISTMAS, say, and the latter with its actual sequel THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S. But this coupling works precisely because it's not so obvious.

Mixing pious Crosby with show-biz Crosby works because, in the last analysis, he's still the same old Bing, affable, low key and agreeable. His priest is still a mensch. His show biz vet is a regular guy looking for a way OUT of the limelight and into a sane and stable way of life. In other words, he's a mensch too.

If you were raised Catholic in the last century, you know that among the clergy, you had your staid, old-school, well, OLD-COUNTRY types, who struck fear in the hearts of children and adults in the parish. Then you had your spirited, fun-loving priests (and nuns), who weren't above playing a few innings of baseball or running a sack race.

GOING MY WAY touches, very lightly, upon the clash of those two strains among the clergy of the era. Actually, the more traditional Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald) is more irascible than truly terrifying. And young Father O'Malley is as all business behind the charm and easy going manner. He just knows that you win more flies with honey than vinegar. And he knows how to get things done. He also knows that he can loosen up the older priest with a few rounds of golf and some fresh air.

The plot amounts to little more than "Let's put on a show to save the parish church." Almost absurdly, a famous opera star (played by famous opera star Rise Stevens) shows up to help out, and high power music publishers rush to buy the young priest's original composition "Swinging On a Star" after hearing Bing and his choir of former street kids sing it as a lark. It's hokum, of course, but it's almost guaranteed to make viewers nostalgic for a more innocent era--even if it's one before their own time.

HOLIDAY INN is a reminder that self-reflexive musicals were almost an established sub-genre from the early 40s on. It's a show-biz tale which turns into your definitive movie-within-a-movie by the end of the film. The show biz format is a little bow to realism (no bursting into song while walking down the street, or scaling a mountain). It's also a tacit admission of Hollywood's self-involvement (the assumption that everyone finds show biz tales utterly fascinating) and, simultaneously, a reaffirmation of mainstream (non-showbiz) values. Distancing themselves from Hollywood and Broadway phoniness is the only way that Bing and his lady love Marjorie Reynolds can find true happiness--of course they still get to stage elaborate floor shows in their Holiday Inn, so ultimately, it's the best of both worlds.

Both movies have plenty of charm, and, as I say, reflect an innocence we seem to have longsince lost. It's no wonder that Bing Crosby films, even when they're not explicitly holiday-themed, have become standard holiday fare for many viewers.

Rating:
Summary: A "Twofer" To Go For
Review: On the face of it, HOLIDAY INN and GOING MY WAY, despite both being Bing Crosby films from the early 40s, were not exacltly an obvious pairing for a DVD "twofer" package. You might think it more likely to pair the former with WHITE CHRISTMAS, say, and the latter with its actual sequel THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S. But this coupling works precisely because it's not so obvious.

Mixing pious Crosby with show-biz Crosby works because, in the last analysis, he's still the same old Bing, affable, low key and agreeable. His priest is still a mensch. His show biz vet is a regular guy looking for a way OUT of the limelight and into a sane and stable way of life. In other words, he's a mensch too.

If you were raised Catholic in the last century, you know that among the clergy, you had your staid, old-school, well, OLD-COUNTRY types, who struck fear in the hearts of children and adults in the parish. Then you had your spirited, fun-loving priests (and nuns), who weren't above playing a few innings of baseball or running a sack race.

GOING MY WAY touches, very lightly, upon the clash of those two strains among the clergy of the era. Actually, the more traditional Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald) is more irascible than truly terrifying. And young Father O'Malley is as all business behind the charm and easy going manner. He just knows that you win more flies with honey than vinegar. And he knows how to get things done. He also knows that he can loosen up the older priest with a few rounds of golf and some fresh air.

The plot amounts to little more than "Let's put on a show to save the parish church." Almost absurdly, a famous opera star (played by famous opera star Rise Stevens) shows up to help out, and high power music publishers rush to buy the young priest's original composition "Swinging On a Star" after hearing Bing and his choir of former street kids sing it as a lark. It's hokum, of course, but it's almost guaranteed to make viewers nostalgic for a more innocent era--even if it's one before their own time.

HOLIDAY INN is a reminder that self-reflexive musicals were almost an established sub-genre from the early 40s on. It's a show-biz tale which turns into your definitive movie-within-a-movie by the end of the film. The show biz format is a little bow to realism (no bursting into song while walking down the street, or scaling a mountain). It's also a tacit admission of Hollywood's self-involvement (the assumption that everyone finds show biz tales utterly fascinating) and, simultaneously, a reaffirmation of mainstream (non-showbiz) values. Distancing themselves from Hollywood and Broadway phoniness is the only way that Bing and his lady love Marjorie Reynolds can find true happiness--of course they still get to stage elaborate floor shows in their Holiday Inn, so ultimately, it's the best of both worlds.

Both movies have plenty of charm, and, as I say, reflect an innocence we seem to have longsince lost. It's no wonder that Bing Crosby films, even when they're not explicitly holiday-themed, have become standard holiday fare for many viewers.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Double-Bill
Review: On the surface you would not think these two films would complement one another. On the contrary, they do contain a unifying theme: They are heartwarmers, just the anecdote the country needed during the strife that was the World War II.
"Going My Way": A tuneful film that just tugs at your heartstrings. The role of Father O'Malley, the progressive priest that is sent to straighten out the troubled New York parish, fits the easy-going Bing Crosby like a fine suit. Barry Fitzgerald as the curmudgeonly Father Fitzgibbon is not only one of the most indelible characters in film history but also one of the most lovable. This film just floats on good vibes. Five stars.
"Holiday Inn": Thoroughly engaging musical about a jilted singer (Crosby) who opens an inn that only caters to the holiday crowd. Good comic rivalry between Crosby and his former partner(Fred Astaire). Astaire's dance routines are poetry in motion and it doesn't even look like he's trying. I'd like to re-iterate what a previous reviewer said about Marjorie Reynolds being effervescent here as the girl that the boys battle over. I've never seen Reynolds in anything else that I can recall and I'd like to know why. Needless to say, classic score by Irving Berlin. One thing that would give pause to a modern audience is a production number commemmorating Lincoln's birthday done in blackface. Five Stars.

Rating:
Summary: Table for Two, and peanuts too
Review: So, we reluctantly bought this one after wavering for several months. Why or why did we wait?! I knew it would be good -- it's just that we have become spoilt by color movies and I was not too keen on a B&W one. We should never have waited.

First, Holiday Inn... It's been decades since I saw it, so my memory was very foggy. The Kidlet had never seen the movie at all and was a bit, um, well, surprised to see Fred Astaire in that sort of role -- we're used to seeing him as the hero. Royal Wedding comes to mind as a show were he's just a genuine good-guy. In Holiday Inn he's giving Bing a horrible time what with a pretty girl, and trying to steal her away. The car scene is a classic -- you'll enjoy it. All in all, the movie is a nice one, a good story, with WONDERFUL songs. We enjoyed it.

Going My Way was the one that caused me concern. Other reviewers had mentioned tears, and, well, I just wasn't in the mood for a tear-jerker movie. WOW, was I ever wrong. It's the most heart-warming, wonderful, nice and terrific show I've seen in practically forever. I'm so glad I got to see it.

So, break out a bowl of peanuts, and snuggle up while watching these two classics. You'll be glad you did.

Rating:
Summary: Reviewing it "My Way"
Review: The movie Going my Way is a breath of freash air and a wonderful escape from the modern movies. This movie is both funny and innocent. A movie that both young and old can watch together. The characters in the movie are both warm and different in their own way. A must see during the holidays and beyond.

Rating:
Summary: Two ALL TIME CLASSICS!
Review: These two classics belong in everyone's home dvd library.

With "Holiday Inn", you get Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire in TOP form, and it simply doesn't get any better than that. Mix in a plethora of Irving Berlin songs, and the result is pure musical gold. Not only is the all time classic "White Christmas" introduced for the first time -- when Bing had most of his vocal range -- but Bing's interpretation of "Easter Parade" is hardly "chopped liver"! Fred Astaire's dancing is sublime, as usual, especially his very annimated "Firecracker" number. A movie you will watch OVER and OVER AGAIN!

"Going My Way" established Bing Crosby as the truly fine actor he really was. Bing was reluctant to play a priest because of his theretofore image as a male romantic musical lead. However, his warm, understated and deft playing of the Father O'Malley role won him the Oscar for Best Leading Actor of 1944. With an excellent supporting cast -- including Barry Fitzgerald who almost steals the pictute -- "GMW" is an all time family classic. An often overlooked piece of movie trivia is that Bing Crosby was nominated again for Best Actor in 1945 for playing his "Father O'Malley" role in "Bells Of Saint Mary's"! This may be the only time any one was nominated for Best Actor in successive years for playing the same role, which proves that Bing's reluctance to play a priest was severly misplaced! Incidentially, "GMW" won SEVEN Oscars, including Best Picture of 1944.

Rating:
Summary: They Don't Make 'em Like this Anymore
Review: This amazing film, which few people know, won eight Academy Awards in its debut in 1943. At that time, America was embroiled in WWII and facing the prospect of a world dominated by fascism and Tyranny. This movie shows the heart of the American People whom the Axis powers thought would never fight back after Pearl Harbor. It demonstrates the soul of a Nation immersed in the peaceful pursuit of individual kindess, compassion and personal commitments to make the World a better place.

This was the world of "The Great Generation." It shows the individual character of the people of the generation which shepherded us through the Great Depression and World War II.

The movie shows that in any generation, in any world we make for ourselves, it is the individual's commitment to decency, honor and hope which brings us through the most difficult times in life. It shows us the value of "a helping hand." It shows us the need for each of us to strive to be something more than what the world would try to force us to become with its challenges and adversities.

When Hemingway wrote "The Sun Also Rises" he was describing the moral bankruptcy of "The Lost Generation" (in the words of Gertrude Stein). The title of the book "The Sun Also Rises" comes from Ecclesiastes: " . . . the sun sets, but, the sun also rises." This message in Ecclesiastes is meant to give hope that even in the darkness we can remain confident that the sun will come again and things will get better.

This movie represents the Sun rising and lighting the way with a new generation in America after WWI and the Great Depression.

Those of all generations might view it. America is in dark times and heading towards times that may be darker. We need to know, from movies such as this, that there is hope in the darkness if we light the candle within.


Rating:
Summary: Outstanding transfers
Review: This DVD release of GOING MY WAY and HOLIDAY INN is purely OUTSTANDING! As both of these films have been perennial favorites for sixty years, I need not comment on their merits. I will say that these are some of the best DVD transfers of older films I have ever seen. The pictures for both films (in black and white) are crisp and clear, black levels are solid and well defined, and there is no graininess to speak of. Age-related artifacts are virtually non existent. The soundtracks of both films are beginning to show their age, but still sound beautiful and clear. Other than theatrical trailers for both films, there are no other extras, but we get two great films in outstanding transfers for less than the price of one, so we have absolutely no right to gripe.
Although these two films aren't the obvious choices to pair together (Holiday Inn paired with White Christmas, and Going My Way put on the same disc as The Bells of St. Mary's would have been the most obvious choice), this is at most negligible. Hats off to Universal Home Video for this EXCELLENT release. The DVD is a MUST HAVE in any collection. RUN to buy a copy.

NOTE: The cover art shown is not the same as the current, most recent DVD release from Universal Home Video, the one which you see at most retailers during the holidays.

Rating:
Summary: Watch it year 'round.
Review: This film deserves its place in the Christmas movie pantheon, but there's nothing wrong with watching it any time of the year.

I hardly know where to start in praising "Holiday Inn": the wonderful music -- not just "White Christmas" but "Easter Parade" and others; the dance numbers (first and foremost, Astaire's firecracker dance, but the comic Washington's Birthday dance is hilarious); the teaming of two all-time greats in Crosby and Astaire; a fine supporting cast; the charming setting -- and the list goes on.

Rating:
Summary: Watch it year 'round.
Review: This film deserves its place in the Christmas movie pantheon, but there's nothing wrong with watching it any time of the year.

I hardly know where to start in praising "Holiday Inn": the wonderful music -- not just "White Christmas" but "Easter Parade" and others; the dance numbers (first and foremost, Astaire's firecracker dance, but the comic Washington's Birthday dance is hilarious); the teaming of two all-time greats in Crosby and Astaire; a fine supporting cast; the charming setting -- and the list goes on.